Last and last-making



P. F. W. C. KRIPPENDORF.

LAST AND LAST MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14.1910.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. F. W. G. KRIPPENDORF.

LAST AND LAST MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1916.

a. 4 g Q Pm W W 4 um A P. F. w. c. KRIPPENDORF.

LAST AND LAST MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14.1916.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITEDiSTAT ES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL r. w. c. KRIPPENDORF, or LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MrsN-E ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION,

OF PATERSON .NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

LAST AND LAST-MAKING.

connection with the accompanying draw ings,'is a specification, like reterencechan acters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, and comprises novel apparatus for such manufacture, and novel machinery for the production of such apparatus.

Lasts now used in the manufacture of shoes are turned on copying lathes having two graders or pantographic reproducing mechanisms. A. single model may beused for the wholeset of lasts, the, length grader inagnifyingor r'educingall their dimensions parallel to the axis of rotation of the model, and the width grader magnifying or reducing all its dimensions perpendicular to this axis. are, in gene 'al, proportional in different parts of the last, a, all dimensions parallel or perpendicular, respectively, to the axis of rotation are altered by the same percentage of themselves. The two graders are entirely independent in. this action' In the simplest practice of turning a set of lasts the graders are so adjusted that a set of graded lengths, that is, a series of lasts all having the same width number, are substantially geometrically similar solids varying in absolute length by linch "for each unit in the size the length) numher; while their perimeters at the ball, waist and instep vary by 5; inch for each unit in the size number. On the other hand, a set of graded widths, that is, a series of lasts all having the same size (or length number, have their lengths the same, and their corresponding cross-sections taken perpen dicular to their axes of rotatlon 1n the lathe, are geometricallysimilar planefig ures, varying in perimeter at the ball, waist and instep by inch per unit of thewidth number.

.In mechanical terms, it a set of lasts are to be turned from a 413 model, the graders when set at zero will reproduce'the model.

Then both graders are set one size up The magnifications andreductions from Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Se t 14 1920 Application filed July 14, 1916. iseriar No. 109,315. l

' they will produce a 513, when both are set two sizes up they will produce a 613. If 71) is desired, the length grader is set up three sizes and the width grader five sizes; three sizes to produce the 7B and two more to produce the 7D. A

widths graded according to the above described practice often fail to fit properly. That practice of grading increases the lateral thickness of the heel bottom less in successive widths than that of the tread 760 l have observedthat shoes of extreme face at the ball, since the heel bottom is narrower than the tread face at the ball, and each dimension is increased by the same percentage of itself. I have observed that short wide feet are often broader at the heel than the lasts which are thus graded, with the result that the shoe counter is broken down around the edge of the heel seat, and the shape of the shoe is spoiled. The uneven distribution of the material graded on to the model in other parts of the" shoe also unfavorably affects the fit of the shoe. An analogous difiiculty is found in the caseot certain typeso't' long narrow feet.

It is an important object ot-my invention to obviate this difiieulty by providing a set ot'lasts having novel dimensional relations to one another, upon which shoes may be made whi'chwill fit certain types of short broad feet or long narrow feetbetter than shoes heretofore provided, and to provide mechanism for the manufacture and in particular,the grading of such lasts.

Another phase of the ditliculty arising this graded on material is the exaggerated toe springs of the wide lasts. Much, and in many styles of lasts, nearly or quite all,

of the graded on material at the ball is placed on the bottom. This increases the toe springs ofthe wide lasts rapidly and practice he made in the cases of the lasts Wider and narrower than the model size for the sake of psychological impression on the customer. The practice of one such departure from the simpler practice is much simplified by my invention. T his relates to the extensions of the wide lasts. If a 413 model is graded out to a lEE, the increase in lateral dimensions, accompanied by no increase in longitudinal dimensions, will change the appearance of the shoe to such an extent that the customer cannot be convinced that it is the same style shoe e3;- hibited in the store window. It is often the custom, therefore, to increase the lengths of the wider lasts of the same length number by perhaps inch (:1- size) for each unit of increase in the width number, and, though perhaps less frequently, to decrease the lengths of the narrower lasts of the same length number, in the same way. The manipulation of the length grader necessitated by this practice is quite complicated and subject to error. It will be seen that my invention provides for these extensions in a very simple manner.

A feature of my invention is a novel or ganization of a model wheel and cutter of different diameters, whereby a last may be cut from a model differing by a layer of uniform thickness from alast graded regularly from the model.

Another feature of my invention is a las athe having cutter and model whee 0' different effective diameters. The swin frame is thus held constantly at an offset from the position which would be given it in the ordinary lathe whereby a film of material of substantially uniform thickness is graded on or off the model, independent of the action of the widti grader.

Another feature of my invention is a last lathe in which the point of finishing contactof the cutter and block in certain parts of the work is maintained proportionally farther from the axis of rotation of the block in the wider lasts than in the narrower.

Another feature is a last lathe having a model wheel and cutter the effective surface of one of which is equivalent to that of the other plus a filler of uniform thickness.

Another feature of my invention is a combined model wheel and width grader having a fixed operative position. This obviates the cramping and lost motion which always rause more less difficulty in the use of the many .inted width grading mechanism heretofore used.

Other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and com binations of parts, will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing.-';, and the invention will then be pointed outmore definitely in the claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate the prered manner of practising my invenetion,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a last' lathe in which my invention has been embodied, showing diagrammatically the principal working parts of the lathe,

Figs. 2, 3 and l are details showing the improved combined model wheel and width grader provided by my invention,

Figs. 5 and 6 show the distribution of material graded on a model by the ordinary pantographic width grader,

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate my preferred solution of the width grading problem, and

Fig. 10 illustrates an alternative practice.

Fig. 5 shows in full lines a sectional outline of a model last at the instep, and in dotted lines the corresponding outline of a wider last graded from the model by means of the ordinary width grader. The sections have been similarly oriented and placed with their centers of rotation in the lathe in coincidence at 10, so that the distribution of the material 11 graded on to the model is shown. The different radii vectores of points on the model surface are all increased by the same percentage of their own length in order to form the surface of the wider last. Fig. 6 shows a corresponding longitudinal vertical sectional outline of a model and a wider last, without extension the sections being arranged with their axes in coincidence. The radii vectores of the model surface are, as before, all multiplied by the same factors to form the surface of the wider last.

The surplus material or tiller 11, which may be regarded as added to the model to produce the wider last, is distributed mainly upon the sides and top of the last at the instep and heel, and upon the bottom at the ball. The increase in lateral thickness is loss at the heel than in other parts of the last.

I have observed that shoes which are width graded in this way fail to fit properly in many instances. I have found that short broad feet frequently have substantially the same sized skeleton as narrower feet of the same length, the dilfereuce being only in the varying amoimts of flesh carried on the skeleton in different individuals. This excess or deficiency of flesh over or under the average or model size I have observed to occur with substantial uniformity all over the foot. It is therefore clear that shoes width graded as shown in Figs. and 6 will fail to fit properly feet of this type. My invention removes this dilliculty.

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional outlines similar to those shown in Figs. 5 and 6 except that the material 12 added to the model for the wider last is added in equal thickness at all points of the surface. Lasts width graded in this manner will correspond bet ter to feet of the type I have described than those graded according to the pantographic esh upon a skeleton of connectim mechanism 17 the n'mdel wheel holder 18 and the fanboard width grader 19, all of the well known construction which has been in use more than twenty years, and no further description of them is thought necessary.

The model wheel of the lathe is of peculiar construction, see Figs. 2, 3 and 4. It comprises a central spider 20 which may be ,mounted upon the model wheel axis 21 of any standard last lathe, instead of the model wheel supplied with theiathe. The circumi't'erentlal face 22 of the spider 1s coned so that any one of a series of rims 23 can be applied to it, and fastened with screws as shown, or in any convenient manner. The external or working surfaces of these rims have a progressive relation which may be defined as follows: 5

The surface of revolution generated by the finishing edge of the cutter as it revolves, may be called the effective surface of the cutter. It is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. One rim 24 is provided having exactlysuch anexternal surface. When this rim is-placed on the spider, and a model and block placed in the lathe in the ordinarv manner, and the graders set at Zero, a last willl'ie tnrn'ed which will be a duplicate of the model. In fact, the lathe thusequipped is the exact equivalent of the ordinary lathe.

A; second rim 25 is provided, having an effective surface equivalent to that produced by adding outside of the effective surface of the cutter or outside the eifec-tlve surface of the first rim a filler of uniform thickness of about 1/25 inch. 'lVhen this rim is mounted on the spider, the lathe being otherwise adjusted as before, a last having,

the relation to the model that the dotted line outline bears to the full line outline in Figs. 7 and 8 will be produced. This will be clear from an examination of Fig. 8 in which the model, block, model wheel and cutter may be regarded as superposed, with their respec tive axes of rotation in coincidence. The model 26 and the effective surface 27 ofthe model wheel are represented in full lines,

and the last 28 being cut and the effective surface of the cutter 9 in dotted lines. It will be seen that the surface of the last is equidistant from the correspondingpart of the surface of the model at all points, or in other words, that the last is equivalent to the model plus a plating or filler 1/25 provide for a uniform inch thick allover its surface, and that the perimeters of its sections perpendicularto the axis of revolution will all. differ from those of the corresponding sections of the model by approximately inch.

(21:.1/25zi- This filler is added at the ends of the last approximately.) C

as well as on its sides, as shown. The length 'of the last is therefore increased over that of the model by 2/25 inch, which is nearly :lof a size. Thematter of extending the wide lasts is therefore taken care of in my novel machine without special adjustment. In case it is not desired to extend the wide lasts, the length grader can be adjusted to compensate for this 2/25 inch increase in length. I

My invention contemplates the provision of 'a series of rims each differing from the next member of the series by a plating or filler 011 itseifective surface corresponding to the chan e in perimeter of the last desired per unit change in width number, whereby a series of lasts may be produced each having such relations toadjacent members of the series as are shown in Fig. 8. It will be clear also, that though I have described and shown how to grade lasts wider than themodel, my invention also contemplates grading narrower than the model in the same way. The cutter size rim may be an intermediate one of the series, and the apparatus may be used to grade up or down. The smaller rims will be formed by sub-' tractinga film of uniform thickness from the effective surfaces of the rims. next larger. Fig. 9 illustrates this gradingof a last narrower than the model. As in Fig. 8, the surface of the model 26 and model wheel 27 are represented in full lines, and I the surface of thelast 28 and effective surface of the cutter 29 are represented dotted lines. So far I have described only the cutting of lasts of the same size number as the model. I do not believe it necessary to alter the relations existing under the present practice between lasts'of the same width number, whereby such lasts are substantially geometrically similar solids, their lateral dimensional relationshipsbeing as shown in Fig. '5. My invention, however, in its broadest aspects, contemplates the application of the principles discussed to lasts of varying length numbers, if such application should p'rove to be advisable, and it is of course plain that I may applythe layer model wheel the rim corresponding to a grade of one size up, or by grading up 4 sizes on the width grader and down one size hickness of the layer may thus be positive or negative. At present, however, I contemplate turning all the B .vidth lasts, from (say) a model, by setting the length and vidth graders one size each up or down as the case may be, for each unit change in the length number, and mounting the cutter size rim on the spider. The wider and narrmver lasts of the same length numbers will be cut by interchanging the rims as described, leaving the other adjustments un changed. The lasts having the same width number will be substantially geometrically similar solids and the dimensions of one may be obtained from the corresponding di- :lOllEi of another through multiplication a constant. The series of lasts having the same length number will have the same or slightly varying lengths while transversely they sustain with one another an arithmetical relationship, i. 0. one of simple addition or subtraction of a constant. I intend, however, that the term width grading or similar words, in the appended claims shall be construed broadly enough to cover the production of lasts having lateral dimensions different from the lateral dimensions of the model, regardless of the length number. 7

The fanboard width grader has so many links and joints and disadvantageous leverages that gives considerable trouble as soon as it is slightly worn, and my invention provides means for rading widths of the same length as the model with no moving parts of this kind; .A set of models f (say) l"; width ma be provided, and the whole set of lasts may be cut from them without the use of the fanboard at all, the axis of the model wheel remaining motionless. An exceedingly positive and infallible operation of the lathe is thus secured.

My invention has another remarkable advantage. Fig. 6 shows that the axis of rotation of the last in the lathe comes very close to the upper surface of the last at the ball portion, or even above it in lasts of some styles, such as the one shown. The present practice of width grading, as described, ac cordingly grades on the greater part of the material added at the ball portion. to form the wide lasts, at the bottom. The tip of the tee is on the axis, and the position of that point is unaltered. As a result the toe spring, or distance 30 in Fig. 6 increases rapidly in the wide lasts, bringing them correspondingly out of proper relation to the feet they are to fit. The practice of my invention, as shown, cuts this difficulty substantially in half, owing to the uniform dis tribution of the material added, the toe springs of the wide lasts increasing only half as rapidly under the old practice. See Fig. 8.

have shown in Fig. 10 an alternate prac tice in the grading of widths. In grading a last wider than the model according to this practice the adjustable connection between the model wheel axis 21 and the fan board l9, which is found in all standard lathes, is lengthened l/25 inch, the effective surfaces of the cutter and model wheel remaining identical. This has the effect of keeping the swing frame out l/25 inch farther at all times than it would normally be, and, as shown in F ig. 10, reproduces points in the model surface .l/25 inch farther from the axis of rotation than would have been done normally, while the procedure shown in Figs. 8 and 9 reproduces each point of the model surface l/i25 inch distant from the surface of the model, 2". 6. along a normal to the surface. The filler of Fig. 8 is of uniform thickness; that of Fig. 10 is of uniform height. The procedure illustrated in Fig. if) does not extend the wider lasts.

Lasts graded according to the principles illustrated in Figs.7, 8, 9 and 10 may he said to have their smaller dimensions graded more rapidly than their larger dimensions, since the constant lateral dimension of 1/25 inch of the graded on material is a larger proportion of the smaller dimensions of the last than of the larger.

' ,ving described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A last lathe having work and model ro- 3f urea s, a rotating cutter and a model reel. the diameter of said wheel being difeut from that of said cutter and the axes of rotati t=n of the cutter and wheel being equidistant from those of the work and model, respectively, the machine being thus adapted to cut a last differing from the model by a layer of uniform thickness.

2. A last lathe having a cutter and a model wheel, the principal radii of curvature of the effective surface of the wheel differing by constant amounts from the corresponding radii of curvature of the effective surface of the cutter.

A last lathe having swing mechanism for carrying a model and block, and a rotating cutter and a model wheel, the axes of rotation of which have identical relations to those of the block and the model, respectively, the diameter of said wheel being different from that of said cutter.

at. In a last lathe, swing mechanism constructed. to carry a model and a block, and a cutter and a model wheel the effective surface of one of which is equivalent to that of the other plus a filler of uniform thickness.

5. In a last lathe, a model wheel, a cutter,

grading mechanism and swing mechanism nism adapted to carry a model and a block,

and width grading mechanism in relation to said model, constructed and arranged to swing said swing mechanism proportionately farther in some parts of the cutting than in others to produce a last equivalent in form to a pantographically graded last from the same model plus a layer of uniform thickness.

7. In a last lathe, a cutter, width-grading mechanism, mechanism for holding a model and block and presenting them to said grading mechanism and cutter, respectively, said grading mechanism being constructed and arranged to produce lasts of progressively varying widths from the same model, and to *ade more rapidly in some portions of the lasts than in others whereby a last is produced equivalent to a pantographically graded last plus a layer of uniform thickness. r

8. In a last lathe, a cutter, width grading mechanism, swing mechanism for holding and presenting a block and a model to the mechanism and cutter respectively, constructed and arranged to maintain the point of finishing contact of the cutter and block on a surface having radii of curvature constantly differing from the corresponding radii of curvature of the surface of an ordinarily graded last within said block.

9. In a last lathe, a swing mechanism for carrying a model and a block, a cutter arranged to operate on said block, and grading mechanism constructed and arranged to impress upon said swing mechanism simultaneous grading movements dependent on and independent of the dimensions of that part of the last being cut whereby the surface of the last cut is placed at a uniform distance from that of a last produced by the dependent grading movement.

'10. In a last lathe, a model wheel, a cutter, a swing mechanism, pantographic width grading mechanism and means for compounding with the movement of the swing mechanism caused by said grading mecha nism, a movement independent of the dimensions ofthat part of the last being cut where-' by the surface of the last out is placed at a uniform distance from that of a last produced by the pantographic mechanism alone.

11. In a last lathe, a model Wheeland a cutter 011 a laterally fixed axis, mechanism for presenting a. model and a block to said wheel and cutter, said model wheel being constructed and arranged to cause a width grading motion of said mechanism.

12. In a last lathe, a combined model contact guide and width grader having a fixed operative position, and arranged for variahie curvature of its operative surface.

13. In a last lathe, a swing mechanism arranged to hold'a model and a block, a cutter arranged to operate on said block, and mechanism for operating on said model to impart to said swing mechanism a copying and grading motion of amplitude differing by substantially a constant from proportionality to the radii of the model.

H. In a last lathe, a model wheel apparatus comprising a fixed hub and a plurality of interchangeable rims of progressively varying effective surfaces,

15. In a last lathe, a cutter, and a combined model wheel and grading apparatus comprising a hub and a plurality of interchangeable rims of progressively varying diameters, the rims occupying correspondingly progressively varying effective positions relatively to the cutter.

16. In a last lathe, model and work holding mechanisms, a work contacting mecha-' nism and a width grading mechanism com prising a model wheel and connections constructed and arranged to grade the model perimeter by substantially an integral number of sizes in width and to increase the length by substantially the same number of aliquot parts of a size in length.

17. In a last lathe, model and work holding mechanisms, model and work contacting mechanisms, means for pantographically reproducing the model longitudinally and means for nonpantographically increasing the length of the model by substantially 3; size for each size increment in width.

18. In a machine of the class described, model and work holding and treating mechaiiisms,grading mechanism for pantographically reproducing the model in a plurality of dimensions, and means for non-pantographically increasing or decreasing the dimensions of the pantographic reproduction, the non-pantographic increase in length being substantially size for each size of nonpantographic increment in width.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 

